Abstract: A method and system for actively and rapidly collecting reference waveforms from a large number of cellular telephones is provided. The reference waveforms are used to generate fingerprints which are used to distinguish between authorized cellular telephones and unauthorized cellular telephones. Initially, the system selects a cellular telephone whose reference waveform is desired. The selected cellular telephone is then sent a polling message such as a page or registration request. The cellular telephone receives the polling message and transmits a radio frequency (RF) signal containing a reference waveform that contains certain transmission characteristics unique to the selected cellular telephone. From the received RF signal, the reference waveform is extracted and stored. Preferably, the selected cellular telephone is polled repeatedly in order to receive a sufficiently large number of reference waveforms to be able to generate an accurate fingerprint.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting reference waveforms from authorized wireless telephones in a wireless telephone network. The collected reference waveforms are used by a fingerprint analyzer to distinguish telephone calls made by the authorized wireless telephone from telephone calls made by an unauthorized wireless telephone. The system maintains a pool of specially designated unassigned telephone numbers and selects one telephone number from the pool at random which is provided to a valid subscriber of an authorized wireless telephone. The randomly selected telephone number is to be called by the valid subscriber using the authorized cellular telephone for the purpose of collecting reference waveforms by the system. A radio frequency (RF) receiver of the system monitors and receives transmission signals from a plurality of wireless telephones. Each transmission signal contains a destination telephone number and an identification of its wireless telephone such as MIN/ESN identifiers.

Abstract: A system for the authorization of wireless telephone communications establishes two sets of authorized telephone numbers. A first set of authorized telephone numbers are supplied by the customer, and the second set of authorized numbers are derived from customer bills paid by the customer. The system analyzes transmission characteristics from an unauthenticated cellular telephone and attempts to verify its authenticity based on the transmission characteristic by analyzing the transmission characteristic with respect to stored reference waveforms for the authentic wireless telephone. However, the results of this signature analysis if negative may be overridden if the telephone number dialed by the unauthenticated cellular telephone matches a telephone number in either the first or second sets of authorized telephone numbers. The system also includes a technique for modifying the reference waveforms to compensate for changes in the transmission characteristic.

Abstract: A system and method for combining the results of different analysis portions to produce a single YES/NO decision regarding the validity of a present cellular telephone call. A soft data analysis portion of the system analyzes soft data, such as the results of a signature analyzer and a customer call profile and determines the likelihood that the particular call is a valid call from an authorized cellular telephone or an invalid call from a fraudulent cellular telephone. In addition, the system performs a deterministic analysis of the particular phone call to independently designate the particular phone call as valid or invalid. The outputs from the deterministic analyzer and the soft data analyzer portion are combined in a combinatorial logic circuit to produce a single binary output having one logic level for valid calls from the authorized cellular telephone and the opposite logic level for invalid calls from the fraudulent cellular telephone.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting a voice channel grab by a pirate in a cellular telephone network. Initially, RF signals transmitted to and from an authorized cellular telephone over the control and voice channels are monitored to track call processing activities and obtain various data that are used to detect potential voice channel grabbing attempts. The data may include such things as RSSI, change power output messages and responses, and hook-flash signal. From the data, the system looks for two events. A first event is an unexpected change or an absence of an expected change in the voice channel RF signal indicating that the pirate may be transmitting on the voice channel. The first event may be any one or more of the following: (1) a sudden upward shift in the voice channel RSSI; (2) an unexpected phase shift of either the RF signal or the SAT signal contained in the RF signal; and (3) an absence of an expected shift in the RSSI that corresponds to the change power level message from the network.

Abstract: A system for the detection of fraudulent use of a wireless telephone system includes a signature analyzer to analyze the transmission characteristic of an unauthenticated transmitter. If the system authenticates the transmitter, based on stored records, the system establishes a customer call profile, based on the geographical location of the wireless telephone at the time of the calls, as well as a time period in which the communication occurs. The system uses these records to establish a customer call profile. The system analyzes a subsequent call and the customer call profile to designate the subsequent call as valid or invalid. The system overrides the decision of the signature analyzer that a particular unauthenticated wireless telephone is fraudulent if the values for call parameters of the subsequent call are sufficiently close to the corresponding parameter values in the customer call profile.

Abstract: A system analyzes telephone calls that have been determined by signature analysis to be fraudulent and stores parameter data associated with the fraudulent cell phone. During subsequent cell phone calls, the system compares the stored parameter data associated with the fraudulent cell phone to corresponding parameters from a subsequent call to determine whether the subsequent call is from the fraudulent cellular telephone. In this manner, the system may reject subsequent cellular telephone calls as fraudulent without the need for time consuming signature analysis. Parameters analyzed by the system can include the time of day of the fraudulent call, the origin from which the fraudulent call was placed, the transmitted identification numbers of the fraudulent telephone, and the destination telephone number of the fraudulent call. The system can analyze one or more of these parameters in combination to determine that the subsequent call is fraudulent.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting fingerprint reference wave forms under controlled conditions includes a radio frequency (RF) enclosure designed to receive a cellular telephone. A control system, including a transmitter and receiver provides RF communications with a cellular phone placed in the enclosure. A processor controls operation of the transmitter and receiver. The processor sends commands to the cellular phone in the enclosure using the transmitter. The transmitted commands are selected to elicit a RF transmission from the cellular phone in response to the command. The receiver detects the response from the cellular telephone and generates a reference wave form indicative of the transmission characteristics of the transmitter of the cellular phone in the enclosure. The processor captures one or more reference waveforms that can be used to generate a fingerprint indicative of a transmission characteristic of the transmitter of the cellular telephone.

Abstract: A system and method extracts a portion of a transmitted waveform and compares the transmission characteristics of the extracted waveform to determine if they match a stored fingerprint associated with the transmitter, such as a cellular telephone. The system adaptively creates fingerprint data by storing a plurality of waveforms believed to be from a particular transmitter and calculates the variability of the individual transmissions with respect to a composite mean waveform of the transmission characteristics. The system emphasizes the variability between the individual waveforms and the composite mean waveform and determines variability values for each of the individual waveforms in the fingerprint. When the system receives an additional unidentified transmission purported to be from the transmitter with the stored fingerprint, the system determines whether the variability of the unidentified waveform fits within the predetermined margins of variability for the fingerprint.

Abstract: Cellular telephone rental system and method wherein a point-of-purchase rental terminal capturing transaction data, obtains validation thereof, and communicates same to a collector which in turn instructs a switching system to enable the cellular phone to make and receive calls. The collector examines in real time automatic message accounting data in the switching system and calculates call charges in real time. The collector then transmits call data to the rental terminal which provides both the rental agency and the cellular phone user call data in real time, with the call data also being transmitted to an account administration system nightly. Also disclosed is an embodiment for entering credit card data at the rental phone to enable use on credit billing and remote programming of such rental phone all over the voice responsive communication of the cellular system.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for collecting call detail, monitoring customer account balance for excessive charges, and controlling the capabilities of cellular subscriber stations on the cellular telephone switch in substantially real time is disclosed. A communication system co-located at a cellular MTSO is used to capture detailed call information by examining the switch's Automated Message Accounting data in real-time. Call records are parsed, rated for toll and air charges and stored in a database. A software system monitors the billing activity on the customer account for excessive charges. When excessive charges take place, a connection between the communication system and the cellular telephone switch control port allows commands to be issued directly from the communication system to the cellular telephone switch providing operational control of selected cellular telephones.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for use in a mobile telephone rental system in which credit card information is communicated between the mobile telephone unit 100 and a Voice Response System 302 for customer registration and remote programming of mobile telephone unit 100 features and NAM settings; communicating data between the Voice Response System 302 and a Registration System 304 for customer credit card validation; communicating data between the Registration System 304 and a credit card clearinghouse 306 for credit card approval or decline; communicating data between the Registration System 304 and a plurality of Collector Systems 307 for call rating and billing; communicating data between the Registration System 304 and an Administration System 309 for providing rated call information to the reseller; and communicating data between the mobile telephone unit 100 and an Indirect System 303 for establishing service in cellular areas without Collector System 307 service.